Pleasanton Police Sgt. Retires After 18 Years Of Service

PLEASANTON, CA — Pleasanton Police Sgt. Jim Boland served the community for 18 years, but the highlight of his career was last Wednesday, the day he retired.

It's not because Boland was worn out by the decades he spent with the Pleasanton Police Department, Antioch Police Department or Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office — his first law enforcement job in 1998. If anything, Boland said, he wishes he had more time with the supportive community of Pleasanton.

Boland's retirement was a sacrifice made for his son, Officer Jimmy Boland, Jr., who was sworn in that same day. A recently enacted nepotism policy made it impossible for father and son to serve Pleasanton at the same time, Boland said. He knew it was his son's dream to work at the Pleasanton Police Department, so when Boland, Jr. graduated from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Police Academy this month, his father said he knew it was time to say goodbye.

It's a tough transition to retirement from the fast-paced job of policing, he said.

"I loved my job. I'm still struggling a bit," he said. "I would've loved to stay longer, I still have that desire to serve our community."

It was an emotional day for Boland, who swore in his namesake and pinned his first Pleasanton police badge from 2002 on his son's chest. He took Boland, Jr. on a ride-along around town in his last hours and met up with friends for a celebratory lunch.

Tears flowed as Boland spoke with people he'd met over the years on his last day.

"I knew it was going to be hard, but it really hits you when you come in, you sign off the radio for the last time," Boland said.

Boland worked his way up the Pleasanton Police Department ranks to become the highest-ranking sergeant at the end of his career, he said. He accomplished everything he set out to do, from his exciting four years as a motorcycle officer and six years on the SWAT team to his favorite assignment of all: special events coordinator. In his four years as special events coordinator, Boland got more face time with the community and city workers than he had in the rest of his career, he said.

There were other highlights, like having the opportunity to run the Every 15 Minutes program for five years, he said. Every 15 Minutes is aims to discourage drunk driving by having members of the campus community role play and pretend that students have died in crashes involving alcohol.

"If there's one life I saved during that program, then all the hard work was worthwhile," he said.

Working in Pleasanton was a blessing, he said. The community is supportive. The only downside to his career is that he had to leave so soon, Boland said.

So while you won't see Boland in uniform, you might see a "younger, a little taller, a little better looking" version of him around town, wearing a badge over his heart for a bit more protection and guidance throughout his career, Boland said.

You still might run the chance of bumping into Boland from time to time, as he plans to continue finding ways to serve the community and remain an associate member of the Pleasanton Downtown Association.